Should I start Isiah Pacheco? Fantasy projections for Chiefs RB for Week 16 Fantasy Football

Isiah Pacheco got his 2024 fantasy football season off to a strong start for the Kansas City Chiefs before suffering an injury. He finished as the RB17 and RB19 in his first two games but missed the next 10 weeks. He has struggled since his return, finishing outside of the top 30 weekly running backs in all three games.

Pacheco has upside, as demonstrated by his early-season success and finishing as the overall RB16 last year. The issue with his outlook in Week 16 is that he has yet to return to that same level since being injured. This makes him a risky pick for starting lineups, especially with the fantasy playoffs underway in most leagues.

Should you start Isiah Pacheco for Week 16 fantasy football?

Sportskeeda's Who Should I Start tool

Isiah Pacheco still brings plenty of fantasy value into his Week 16 matchup against the Houston Texans despite his recent struggles. He is more risky at this point in the season than he would have been at the start of the year, but his upside still makes him an intriguing RB option.

Sportskeeda's Who Should I Start tool suggests that he is a better pick this week than his teammate Kareem Hunt, who he has shared some of the backfield workload with for the Kansas City Chiefs. Pacheco's volume indicates that better performances could be in his near future, including receiving 30 touches across his last two games.

The tool also recommends using Pacheco in Week 16 fantasy football lineups over Najee Harris and Rachaad White, who are both in the same range of values this week. Managers should exercise caution with Pacheco, but he can still be started as a borderline RB2 or flex option.

Isiah Pacheco fantasy outlook for rest of 2024 season

Isiah Pacheco (image credit: getty)

Isiah Pacheco has already proven that he can be an elite fantasy football RB. His recent output since returning from injury hasn't quite lived up to expectations but it's realistic to believe that he will improve down the stretch as he continues to get healthier.

His 30 total touches and nearly 50% snap share across his last two games prove that the Chiefs are committed to getting him going again. With three games remaining in the regular season, managers shouldn't give up on Pacheco's fantasy upside.